The Science of Having a Great Conversation
If you’ve ever spoken to someone and later felt that you would have better spent your time talking to a brick wall, you’ll surely identify with the observations of Rebecca …
brains and behavior
The Brain Region That Controls Movement Also Guides Feelings
The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. In recent decades, neuroscience has seen some stunning advances, and yet a critical part of the brain remains a mystery. …
Ann McKee Is on a Quest to Save Humanity’s Brains
When she describes the moment she realized that CTE and football were connected, she sounds as shocked as she must have been back then. “My first football player [brain] was …
Nearly Everyone With Mild Cognitive Impairment Goes Undiagnosed
Millions of people over the age of 65 likely have mild cognitive impairment, or MCI—minor problems with memory or decisionmaking that can, over time, turn into dementia. But a pair …
A Personalized Brain Implant Curbed a Woman’s OCD
Over the next six to eight months, Pearson’s OCD symptoms decreased significantly, and her brain activity triggered the stimulation less often. She told her doctors that before, she was sometimes …
Why Antidepressants Take So Long to Work
Clinical depression is considered one of the most treatable mood disorders, but neither the condition nor the drugs used against it are fully understood. First-line SSRI treatments (selective serotonin reuptake …
This Contest Put Theories of Consciousness to the Test. Here’s What It Really Proved
The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Science routinely puts forward theories, then batters them with data till only one is left standing. In the fledgling science …
A Groundbreaking Human Brain Cell Atlas Just Dropped
Today, an international team of researchers shared an extraordinarily detailed atlas of human brain cells, mapping its staggering diversity of neurons. The atlas was published as part of a massive …
A Lab Just 3D-Printed a Neural Network of Living Brain Cells
A tiny array of microelectrodes underneath the cells recorded electrical activity in the gel surrounding the cells, while other electrodes directly stimulated the neurons and recorded their responses. Using a …
How Insect Brains Melt and Rewire During Metamorphosis
The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. On warm summer nights, green lacewings flutter around bright lanterns in backyards and at campsites. The insects, with their veil-like …